Suction cleaner agitator



July 21, 1931. H. B. WHITE SUCTION CLEANER AGITATOR Filed Jan. 2. 1929 [/YVZ/YTOE Harry B. Whl'ze Jr/OW A 7 TOP/Y5) Patented July 21, 193i SATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY B. WHITE, OF CANTON, OHIOQASSIGNOR TO THE HOOVER COMPANY, A

CORPORATION OF OHIO SUCTION CLEANER AGITATOR This'invention relates to suction cleaner rotors or agitators of the rotary type which are adapted to be mounted in suction cleaner nozzles.

Heretofore agitators have necessarily been of a large diameter because of the impossibil ity in die casting of removing the small core from a single piece agitator body of small diameter and the failure to obtain satisfactory commercial results from multiple unit body construction. It has also been the experience heretofore that satisfactory small diameter agitators could not be constructed due to the fact that the countersunk brush seats are limited in their approach to the rotor center by the bearing shaft extending therethrough which has of necessity been used in the past in order to secure correct centering of the rotor. N o compromise in the depth of the brush seat is possible in the well designed agitator because of the necessity of long bristles in order to secure the requisite strength and'flexibility. The problem of eliminating the bearing shaft'within the rotor and still obtain satisfactory bearing means therefor is for the first time successfully solved in the present invention through the use of novel means.

The use of a large diameter agitator necessitates a large nozzle and a consequentlarge nozzle opening into which the carpet or article being cleaned, when the machine is in operation, is drawn with a resulting great resistance to movement of the machine thereover. By the use of a small diameter agitator, such as can be satisfactorily constructed. in accordance with this invention, the nozzle dimensions can be greatly reduced resulting in a decrease in the covering area drawn into the nozzle and a consequent desirable reduction in the resistance to movement of the machine. As the cleaning action in a suction cleaner takes'place over a limited area only of the nozzle opening and as the decrease of the width thereof would have no detrimental effect upon the cleaner efiiciency, the desirability of a relatively small nozzleis apparent and as the agitator dimensions determine the nozzle dimensions the desirability of a small agitator which can be built commercially is obvious.

The object of my invention is, therefore, the provision of a suction cleaner agitator having all the desirable features of a relatively 5 large agitator yet which in itself is of a small diameter. A further object of my invention isto provide a small diameter agitator for suction cleaners which is designed and constructed so that its small diameter 0 does not prevent its manufacture by ordinary manufacturing methods such as die casting. Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application in which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a view partly in cross section through my invention disclosing the parts in assembled relation.

Figure 2 is a transverse cross section on the line AA of Figure 1 with the bearing removed.

Figure 3 is a transverse'cross section on the line B-B of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse cross section on the line CC of Figure 1.

In the drawings, like parts are indicated by the same reference characters throughout.

In accordance with my invention the agitator is composed of a plurality of individual complementary members forming in their assembled relation, a symmetrical whole. Referring to Figure 1 reference characters 2 and 3 indicate the two members forming the body of the agitator indicated generally by the reference character 1. In the assembled relation the body 1 is cylindrical and has a brush seat at .each side of the longitudinal center line, which are diametrically opposed; The brush seats are indicated by the reference character 7 and halfof each brush seat is carried by each of the members 2 and 3 being formed of reentrant wall-portions. Securing means 6 pass through each of the mem-' bers 2 and 3 along the greatest diameter and, as is clearly seen in Figure 2, extend parallel to the bottom face of the brush seat 7 and extend slightly into this brush seat. The securing means 6 of the members 2 and 3 are counter-sunk as at 4 so that a smooth surface is presented on the cylindrical agitator body. At the approximate longitudinal center of the members 2 and 3 convexly curved surfaces 55 are formed, which cooperate in the assembled relation of the body memberlto form a pulley 10 adapted to receive a driving belt. Beater elements 99 are attached to the surface ofthe members 2 and 3 as in the usual agitator and are shown extending spirally therearound. Semi-cylindrical walls 1111 parallel to the longitudinal axis extend from the ends of the body members 2 and 3 and form in the assembled relation a cylindrical housing adapted to receive an end late 12 carrying the hearing support 20 or that end of the agitator. A stud 14, located centrally of each end plate and extending in the opposite direction from said stub shafts or bearing supports 20, cooperates with a receiving bore 15 in the end of the agitator to correctly position the end plate 12. Screws 1616 pass through the end plates into the end of the agitator body and secure said end plates in place. An end member 17 encloses and is fixedly attached to a bearing composed of a ball race member 18 with balls 19 therein and an inner race member 13 which is non-rotatably mounted on the agitator bearing support 20 extending therein. In the operation of the agitator in a suction cleaner, the member 17 is held rigidly against the suction cleaner frame, the agitator is supported in osition through the members 18 and 20, ba ls 19 and bearing support member 20 at each end of the agitator.

Itis seen from the foregoing description that I have provided an agitator having the desirable features of the modern agitator and which because of its novel design includes no small diameter hollow members from which a core must be drawn longitudinally in die casting and which therefore permits of construction in relativel small sizes commercially. The main bo y members 2 and 3 being split longitudinally and presenting open surfaces through which the core may be drawn in casting cooperate in the assembled relation to produce an agitator having the same strength and effectiveness that has heretofore been possible only in one piece agitator constructions.

I claim: v

1. An agitator for suction cleaners characterized by the fact that said agitator comprises a plurality of complementary members forming a body, said members having cooperative reentrant portions forming in their assembled relation brush seats and brushes positioned in said brush seats.

2. An agitator for suction cleaners characterized by the fact that said agitator comprises two connected members forming a body, said members having reentrant portions at each end of the body, said reentrant portions being on opposite sides of the axis of the body, said reentrant portions cooperating to form brush seats in their assembled relation andbrushes positioned in said brush seats.

3. An agitator for suction cleaners characterized by the fact that said agitator comprises two cooperating semi-cylin'drical members forming a body, said members havingreentrant portions forming brush seats within the periphery of said body, brushes positioned in said brush seats, and means securing said members in position, said means comprising rivets extending on a diameter of said agitator perpendicular to the plane of contact of said cooperating members and havin heads counter-sunk in said agitator.

4. n agitator for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow cylindrical body, said body formed of semi-cylindrical portions extending the length of said body, a longitudinal brush seat formed in said body and within the periphery thereof by cooperating reentrant walls in said portions, a brush positioned in said brush seat, a pulley on said body formed by opposed uninterrupted surfaces on said portions and means at the ends of said portions to rotatably support said agitator about an axis passing thru said brush seats. V v

5. An agitator for a suction cleaner comprising a hollow cylindrical body, said body formed of semi-cylindrical portions extending the length of said body, a brush seat formed in said body within the periphery thereof and extending inwardly to its center, a ,fpulley on said body between the ends there- 0 supporting stub shafts at the opposite ends of said body, and means su porting said stub shafts on said hollow cy indrical body in positive alinement.

Signed at North Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, this 21st day of December, A. D. 1928. v

HARRY B. WHITE. 

